Mastering American Buttercream
This is a simple chemistry project of emulsification. If your butter is too cold, you get lumps; if it is too warm, the sugar will slide right off your cake.
Temperature is your only constraint
Your butter must be soft enough to indent with a finger but not greasy. If you can see the butter melting on the counter, it is too warm.
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Large rubber spatula
- Measuring scale
What goes in.
- 1 lbunsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 lbconfectioners' sugar, sifted
- 2 tbspheavy cream
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 1/4 tspfine sea salt
The paddle whip
Beat the butter alone for at least five minutes before adding sugar. It needs to transform from yellow solid to a pale, off-white cloud to provide the necessary structure.
The method.
Aeration
Place the butter in the mixer bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until it looks significantly lighter in color and doubled in volume.
Integration
Turn the mixer to the lowest speed. Add the sifted sugar one cup at a time. Do not increase speed until the sugar is fully absorbed into the butter to avoid a sugar cloud.
Adjustment
Once all sugar is incorporated, scrape the bowl. Add the cream, vanilla, and salt. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.
Finishing
Switch to a rubber spatula and stir manually for 30 seconds. This pushes out the large air pockets, leaving you with a smooth surface for piping.
Other turns to take.
Chocolate
Replace 1/2 cup of the sugar with high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted.
Brown Butter
Brown the butter in a pan first, then chill it until it solidifies back to room-temperature consistency before whipping.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Sift your sugar regardless of how fresh the bag is; it prevents grit.
If the frosting looks broken or curdled, warm the bottom of the bowl with a kitchen torch or warm towel for 10 seconds and beat again.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for two days or freeze for up to a month.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my frosting gritty?
You either didn't sift the sugar or you didn't whip the butter long enough to dissolve the sugar crystals.
Can I use salted butter?
Yes, but omit the added salt in the recipe and taste as you go.
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